trouble with my neighbour

[rezaf]

In our building there are two heater motors over each bedroom's window. My Chinese neighbour (the one who lives under my apartment) has been showing up at my door a few times complaining that my heater's sound is too loud. I went to his apartment but the sound was normal since my heaters are brand new. I contacted my landlord and he let me give his number to that man. Do you have any suggestions how I can deal with this man and do you know how far this man legally can go?

[BrandeX]

You're renting an apt. - don't own any of the facilities, and gave the guy the number of your landlord for him to talk to. It has nothing to do with you as far as I would feel. Let them discuss their issues, and don't worry about it would be my advice.

[dalaowai]

I agree with BrandeX. If he comes back, agree with him that it's unfortunate, however you're only renting the apartment. Your landlord is 100% responsible for this and you don't have to be involved in this.

The outside part of these wall units often breaks down. I've had it happen to two heaters already and it sure does make a lot of noise. If it's yours that's broken, your landlord can get it fixed, seeing that it's new there should be warranty. If it's not yours, it's probably a different neighbours'.

[roddy]

Yep, just refer him to the landlord. If that doesn't work, refer him to building management, or the 居委会, or the police, and then refer them to the landlord. The only thing you should be doing is handing out the landlord's phone number.

As to what your neighbour can do - he can get in touch with all those people I mentioned above and see what they do . . .

[rezaf]

This man is really crazy. He woke me and my landlord up at 6 o'clock in the morning. My landlord even called Samsung's handymen but they didn't see anything wrong with my heater. I have been to his apartment and I know there is nothing wrong but I'm not sure what will happen if he calls the police.

[HashiriKata]

I have been to his apartment and I know there is nothing wrong but I'm not sure what will happen if he calls the police.

Then let him call the police. If that heater belongs to the building and is not your own, then even the police can't make you do anything about it. If the heater is really a problem, other people will have the responsibility to sort it out for you.

[roddy]

To be honest, from what you're saying if he calls the police I think they'll tell him to stop wasting their time. All you can really do at this point is refer him to other people. And maybe phone him up at 3am to ask if the heater's bothering him

If it helps, the problem will solve itself when it gets a bit warmer. And them start again when you put the air-con on . . .

[rezaf]

Perhaps next time I have to ask the broker for noisy neighbours so that I can 不客气了。

Yes, I think if the police come they will tell him that unless they really hate foreighners.

And maybe phone him up at 3am to ask if the heater's bothering him

It will be fun. I'm just waiting for an excuse. If he wakes me up once more....

[dalaowai]

Does he live alone or does he have other family members that agree that this noise is intense? Is it continuous or intermittent?

Does the guy seem stable or could it be the noises are all in his head?

[imron]

We've had people post about problems with neighbours before. However I don't think his final solution would work in your case

[randall_flagg]

Reading this or the Cujo story that imron posted a link to make it all the harder for me to understand why people are so keen of buying apartments in China. Of course, it might seem silly to some to move because of a crazy canine, but at least its an OPTION! If you buy the place you've got to deal with it. Or rent it out and have your tenants be ticked off.

Anyway, I don't have the necessary cash to buy an apartment, either, so who am I to talk.

[rezaf]

Well in this situation I think I am the dog and I should watch my back in case he wants to set my apartment on fire.

Anyway building management also said that the sound is normal. My neighbour is a 40 something year-old bachelor and he doesn't seem to be stable. These heaters are all a little bit noisy (especially because they are over the bedrooms) and there is nothing my landlord can do. It's the same thing for everyone. Anyway I think that he is not that wrong about the noise. I am a musician (ok used to be, now I'm not) and I have good trained ears. For a few years I had similar problems and even the sound of someone walking outside of my room could wake me up but then I used it as an advantage and instead of trying to block the noise I listened to it and learned to use it as a lullaby.

[roddy]

Good luck explaining the lullaby theory to a sleep-deprived madman

So is he still bothering you about this, or has he given up for now?

If you buy the place you've got to deal with it. Or rent it out and have your tenants be ticked off.

In my experience problems are very rare and people are generally considerate. Six different apartments in China, and I've never had to make any complaints. Maybe I've just been lucky.

Edited December 11, 2008 at 02:41 AM by roddy

[imron]

Maybe you've just never had a crazy laowai as a neighbour?

[roddy]

Could be. I was once complained about - I was rather inconsiderately watching an episode of Band of Brothers, loudly, every night about midnight. No idea how I thought that was a good idea, but someone contacted the management office and they phoned me and said that while they understood I'd probably been doing overtime and coming back late, perhaps I could possibly . . . and I apologized profusely and didn't do it again.

[rezaf]

or has he given up for now?

for now...but he doesn't look like a give up type of dude

He just has two options now:

1- calling the police

2- killing me

I wonder which one he chooses:roll:

[chenpv]

And a third option, making you live with him.

[johnmck]

4th option: Ear plugs. Discovered this when I went off to Uni and stayed in a residence. I'm a very light sleeper and hence had no hope sleeping in a residence where they was always a party going on somewhere. The "if you can't beat them join them" solution, i.e. go to all the parties, worked very well for the first week, but the lack of sleep started sending me round-the-bend. And then I discovered ear plugs:).

If your neighbour cannot make the noise go away, ear plugs are the only solution.

[randall_flagg]

rezaf, good luck with your neighbor, and keep us posted.

Yeah, forget about computers, cars and airplanes: Toothbrushes and earplugs are the two best inventions ever.

And to those of you who are hesitant: There are different kinds of earplugs, and they are NOT uncomfortable, you've just got to give it a fair chance. Its worth it!

Six different apartments in China, and I've never had to make any complaints.

Good for you! But looking at the state of many apartments blocks in China, I'd still be rather hesitant to buy an apartment there. Or perhaps I've lived in to shabby a neighborhood myself and have not experienced "uptown".

[simonlaing]

I had a similar misundertanding about dripping water which wasn't from my airconditioner but from the neighbor's solar thermal water heater which was constantly leaking.

After trying to ignore the complaints we went up on the roof and showed them the issue was not ours. BEfore which they did not believe us. (They are a lot of elderly families in our building that like to complain about stuff)

That said I did call the cops on a neighbor next to me when she was beating her step son for not studying. With crashing furniture and lamps it was very annoying espicially at 11:30 pm at night when I was trying to get to sleep.

The Policeman was surprised to see it was me that called them, and frustrated when he found out he had to go down the 7 flights of stairs and then up another 7 flights to go talk to the noisy neighbor.

They have been quieter since then. They still yell, and have yelling match but at least they are not throwing around the lamps anymore. (Or doing it during the day when I am at work, either way it is better.)

Buying property is one of the few ways to invest money in china with a decent return, the banks don't give much and the stock market is full of insider trading. Plus buying a house is like renting and paying yourself the rent.

have fun,

Simon:)